Lightning arrester



May 8, 1923. 1,454,289

L. M. KLAUBER I LIGHTNING ARRESTER Filed Dec. 5, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 8, 1923.

L. M. KLAUBER LIGHTNING ARRESTER Filed Dec, 5, 1919 2 Sheds-Sheet 2 /J0 E M ,faveniar [aurczqwWr iatented May 8, 1923..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAURENCE M. KLAUBER, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAN DIEGO CONSOLIDATED GAS 8c ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAN DIEGO, CALI- FORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA. I

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

Application filed December 3, 1919. Serial No. 342,087.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAURENCE M. KLAU- BER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of San Diego, county of San Diego, and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Light ning Arresters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lightning arresters such as are employed for protecting electric lines and the invention is especially useful when employed in connection with hightension lines.

The general object of the invention is to provide simple means for grounding a curhigh potential, thereby interrupting the How of the subsequent dynamic current. One of the features of my invention is a destructible dielectric resistance device, the interior of which is provided with an explosive charge.

and one of the novel features of my invention particularly desirable in high-tension lines resides in the employment of means for insuring the ignition of the explosive substance at a plurality of points, when an arc has been established by the lightning through the dielectric resistance device. Another object of the invention is to provide simple means for presenting a series of dielectric resistance devices between the line and the 5 ground, operating in such a way that after eachpassage of a current from the line to the ground, and after the rupture or destruction of one dielectricv device, a new one comes automatically into the arrester cirso cuit.

' Another object is to provide a lightning arrester that will indicate how often it has actually operated.

Further objects of the invention will appea-r hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel features, and in the general combination of parts to be particularly described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce a simple and efficient lightning arrester. A preferred embodiment of my invention will be particularly described in the following specification, while the broad scope of my invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing;

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a simple form of a lightning arrester embody ng my invention, and showing the dielectric resistance device in longitudinal section;

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1, but showing the destructible dielectric resistance in elevation instead of in section, and this view illustrates the device used in series with a dielectric gap such as the well-known horn p;

. Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustratmg an adaptation of the invention enabling a plurality of dielectric resistances to be employed, operating in such a way that when the dielectric resistance device is destroyed the contacts automatically connect another dielectric resistance device into the arrester circuit;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through one of the dielectric resistances and indicating a simple form of this device;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4:, but showing a form of the device which I prefer to use on unusually high high-potential lines;

Figure 6 is a plan showing a detail of the. holder end of one of the contacts illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view somewhat similar to Figure 3, but illustrating another adaptation of the apparatus for bringing the dielectric resistance devices in succession into the arrester circuit;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an adaptation of the apparatus in which dielectric resistances operate in conjunction with a series of grounded fuses;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the use of fuses, and in winch the fuses are respectively in series with the dielectric devices;

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view showing an arrangement somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a side elevation illustrating one of the forms of the dielectric resistances which may be used in the apparatus shown in Figure 10.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a conductor leading from the line toward the ground, and another conductor leading to the ground. I connect these conductors by means of a destructible dielectric resistance device, or cut-out. This device is provided with an explosive substance or charge through which the arc is formed, the spark operating to explode the charge, destroy the resistance device, and at the same time extinguish the are. In this way the destruction of the dielectric resistance operates to interrupt the dynamic current which would otherwise pass on the are originally established by the abnormal high-potential. One of the simplest forms of my invention is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. In Figure 1, 1 represents a line wire, and 2 and 3 represent the two conductors leading to the ground and which are connected by means of the dielectric resistance devicesft. the same being held yieldingly between two insulated spring contacts 5.

This dielectric resistance device 4 in this instance consists of a destructible tubular body 6 of glass or porcelain, carrying insulating heads 7 through which contact pins or terminals 8 extend, the outer ends of the terminals being in engagement with the contacts 5 and the inner ends being formed into hooks 9 which are connected by a loop, or cord 10, operating as a dielectric resistance, such as cotton or other relatively n0n-conducting, or insulating substance. The interior of the body 6 is provided with an explosive. substance or charge 11, such as ordinary smokeless gun-powder, which is a dielectric resistance. The arrangement shown in Figure 2 is substantially the same as that shown in Fi ure 1, except that it illustrates the use of a ielectric gap, or air gap 12 such as the well-known horn gap which is included with the conductor 13 leading down from the line-wire 14. The other parts of this apparatus are substantially the same as those described in connection with Figure 1.

' Where it is desired to provide an apparatus which will operate to bring a plurality or series of the dielectric resistance devices into the arrestercircuit in succession automatically, I may provide an adaptation of apparatus such as that illustrated in Figure 3, in which I provide means co-operating with each dielectric resistance device when it is destroyed, to connect the line metallically to the next dielectric resistance device; for this purpose I prefer to provide an insulating block 15 on the under-face of which I attach a plurality of resilient contacts 16, 17 and 18. The contact 16 tends to impinge upon the contact 17, and the contact 17 tends to impinge upon the contact 18. In this View I show two of the dielectric resistance devices 19 still intact, the one at the left operating as a primary device but the resistance device which is supposed to have been in connection with the contact 16 is supposed to have blown, or been destroyed by its own operation. The dielectric resistance devices 19 are connected to the contacts in such a way s to hold them apart; any simple means may be employed to effect-this result. For example, I may provide a plate 20 having slots 21 in its edge, and I may provide the holding ends 22 of the contacts with 'U-shaped sockets 23 (see Fig.6). The ends of the resistance devices are provided with metal heads 24 which are received in the sockets, and these heads are of greater diameter than the width of the sockets 21 and 23. This simple arrangement enables the resistance devices to be readily put in position and the enlarged parts of the heads 24. will evidently operate to prevent the contact devices from coming together. With this organization, when an abnormal highpotential in the line 25 causes the current to pass via the gap 26 to conductor 27, it passes from the contact 16 to the impinging contact 17 and through the dielectric resistance device 19 to the plate 20, and thence by the conductor 28, to the ground.

Figure 4 shows a simple form for the dielectric resistance device in which the terminals 29 project into interior of a tube 30 of destructible material such as glass or porcelain. The terminals are in line with each other on a diagonal line through the tube, and the end of each terminal is bent over the end of the tube and held under a metal cap 31 which is secured to the end of the tube, the ends of the tube being hermetically sealed by means of plugs 32 of parafiin, ozite, or any other suitable material. The inner ends of the terminals 29 are connected by a stretched loop 33 of cord, or other dielectric material. The inner ends of the terminals and the cord 33 are imbedded in an explosive substance or charge 34, such as gun-powder.

WVhere the resistance device is to be used with lines carrying extremely high potential, it would seem to be necessary to provide an unusually long gap between the adjacent ends of the terminals, such as terminals 29. In such a case, I prefer to employ a resistance device having the general characteristics illustrated in Figure 5, that is to say, I provide means for forminga plurality of dielectric gaps between the ends of the terminals 35, and I prefer toprovide means for producing ignition of the explosive charge 36 at a plurality of points throughout the length of the tube. In order to accomplish this, I provide a plurality of links 37 which may be of fusible aluminum wire, the ends of the links being formed into .hooks, and the arrangement being such that the metallic links are connected in series to each other and to the terminals 35. This is readily accomplished by providing the ends of the links 37 with the hooks 38 which are connected by loops 39, held in tension, and formed of cord, or other dielectric material. Similar loops 40 are used to connect the ends of the links to the hooked ends of the terminals 35. By providing these loops the length of the dielectric gaps betweenthe terminals may be very accurately predetermined. In practice it is simply necessary to tie the loop around a small cylinder or rod, and after the knots areformed the loop may be placed in tension. If the tension is substantially uniform the loops will all operate to produce a substantially uniform length of gap. In this type of resistance device, I may dispense with metal heads such as the heads 31 and simply flare the walls of the tube outwardly to form heads 41 which retain suitable insulating plugs 42 in the end of the tube, the ends of the terminals being simply bent around the heads 41 as indicated at 43 so as to provide a point of contact to engage with the contact devices or contacts with which the resistance device may be employed.

The apparatus illustrated in Figure 7 is somewhat similar to that illustrated in Figure 3, except that the dielectric devices are held in place by compression instead of by tension. In this view 44 represents the protected line which may connect to the ground by conductor 45, contact plate 46 and conductor 47. 'The dielectric resistance devices 48 are held between contact plate 46 and corresponding contacts 49 which are attached to an insulating plate or block 50. The conductor 45 is attached to the first contact 51, which in the unused apparatus, is held out of contact with the adjacent contact 49 by the first dielectric resistance device. which is supposed to have blown. so that the contact 51 now engages with the adjacent contact 49. thereby bringing the next resistance device into the arrester circuit. \Vhen that resistance blows, the contact 49 at the left will descend to engage the contact 49 at the right, which will bring the next'resistance device into the circuit.

I may combine a plurality of rupturable dielectric resistances with a plurality of the rupturable dielectric resistances will be destroyed in establishing a path through one of the fuses for the dynamic current,

which will then destroy the fuse. Such an arrangement is indicated in the diagram illustrated in Figure 8, in which 525 52", 52 and 52 represent a plurality of contact devices, connected in series and consisting of co-operating pairs of contacts. As illustrated. the dielectric resistance, co-operating with the contact device 52 is supposed to have blown, so that its two contacts 53, have come together. The diagram illustrates the apparatus at the instant that the dielectric resistance has failed or ruptured, at which time the subsequent dynamic current will pass to the groundthrough a fuse connecting terminals 54, which corresponds to the contact device 52. The contacts 53, 53, etc., are simply springs which tend to impinge upon each other and arranged so that they may be held apart by any form of rupturable dielectric resistance, which is not necessarily of the type illustrated. In the present instance, however. I have illustrated dielectric resistance devices 55, 56 and 5? of my novel type but their explosibility is not essential, they simply hold the contacts apart and are destructible under a certain potential; all the contacts are attached to fixed insulating blocks 52. The fuses 58. 59 and 60 are connected at points between the successive contact devices, the lower ends of the fuses being grounded through a common conductor 6i. With this apparatus, it is evident that the contact-devices and fuses will operate as couples successively to bring the next couple automatically into the arrester circuit. For example, after the fuse between terminals 54 blows, the contact device 52 will be ready to co-operate with the fuse 58 to pass the lightning current to the ground and arrest the subsequent dynamic current.

When the line carries a very high potential, I prefer-t0 construct the dielectric resistance device as illustrated in Figure 10 This dielectric resistance device simply consists of a tube such as illustrated in Figure 5, that is to say, the ends of the tube carry terminals 62 passing through sealing plugs and which are connected by a plurality of dielectric loops 63 which connect up a plurality of fusible metal links 64 to form a. series of dielectric gaps between the termiuals. Some of the advantages of these features of construction have been set forth in describing Figure 5.-

Figure 10 shows a slight modification of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 8, but in Figure 10 the dielectric resistances 65 are set on a base plate 66 connected to the ground and a fuse is provided as indicated at 67 which connects the conductor 68 from the line 69 to the grounded plate 66. In other words, the fuse of each co-operating couple in this case, is placed in the arrester circuit before the contact device, instead of behind it, as in Figure 8. In this figure, the fuse 67 is supposed to have blown and likewise the corresponding resistance device, permitting the two contacts 70 and 71 to come together. In the next operation, the dielectric resistance 65 would be destroyed together with the fuse 72, thereby permitting the contact 71 to engage the next contact 73. In this way, the contacts and fuses operate in couples as described in connection with Figure 8.

Where the apparatus is to be used with a very high potential line, and where it is inconvenient to use long dielectric resistance devices presenting a plurality of dielectric gaps, such as illustrated in igures 5 and 8, I may employ a dielectric resistance having a single gap, but I place thesame in series with a fuse. This arrangement attains somewhat the effect of the multiple gap tube. Such an arrangement of apparatus is illustrated in Figure 9 and simply consists of any suitable arrangement of contacts whichwill bring the resistance devices and fuses into the arrester circuit as couples, in succession. In the figure, the contact springs 74, 75 and 76 are illustrated as attached to a common insulating block 77. The dielectric resistance which co-operated with the spring-contact 74 is supposed to have blown, together with its corresponding fuse which was attached between the terminals 78, thereby permittin contact 74 to engage with contact 75 WhlCll will bring the next dielectric resistance device 79 into the arrester circuit, to-' gether with its corresponding fuse 80 which is connected in series to the lower terminal 81 of the tube. The upper terminal 82 connects with the contact 75 and the adjacent hooked ends of the terminals are connected by a dielectric loop 83. The fuses may all be grounded through a common conductor 84. The lower ends of the resistance de- Figure 5, is advantageous and facilitatu the complete destruction of the cut-out on accountof the disintegration of the fusible wire by the current. I prefer to. use the multip e-gap type of cut-out in apparatus such as that shown in Figures 3, 7 and 10 in which the arc is ultimately opened by the destruction of the cut-out.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments my invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of my invention nor in my clams, to the particular embodiment set forth.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, it will be noted that the lightning arrester is not normally connected in any circuit, that is to say. it is devoid of contacts or conductors which normally pass a current through the device. As illustrated, it presents simply a pair of contacts which are separated by a predetermined dielectric resistance gap, and it is devoid of any other contacts which would normally carry current.

What I claim is:

1. A lightning arrester for high potential lines, consisting of a destructible dielectric .resistance device connecting the line with the ground, devoid of contacts normally carrying current, and having a pair of contacts separated by a predetermined dielectric resistance gap sufficient to prevent passage of the normal high potential current 1 of the line. and carrying an explosive substance operating to be exploded by an electric are caused by lighting current. the explosion operating to extinguish the said are and thereby interrupt the subsequent dynamic current.

2. A lightning arrester for high potential lines consisting of a series of dcstructible dielectric resistance devices between the line and the ground, each of said resistance devices having a predetermined dielectric resistance gap sufiicient to prevent passage of the normal high-potential current of the line, and carrying an explosive substance operating to be exploded by an electric arc due to lightning current, the explosion operating to extinguish the arc and thereby interrupt the subsequent dynamic current, the primary resistance device of the series being connected metallically to the line, and means for automatically effecting a metallic connection from the line to the next resistance device of the series when the first dielectric resistance device has exploded.

3. In a lightning arrester for protecting an electric line, the combination of a plurality of (ontacts, a plurality of destructible dielectric resistance devices corresponding to said contacts between the line and the a high potential line, the ccnileinetien e'f plurality of dielectric resistance deviceconnecied in a series with the l ne n nislity of fuses, associated iespecti said dielectric resistance clevices, e electric resistance device snei iis come ing use eperaiing es s couple is siroyed by currents passing" til from the line and inesns cc-opemii each dielectric resistance clevice vvl desircyed, fie connect the line io the next dielectric resistance device 5. A lightning arresting device cc of a lowly, e pair of sepereied; iermiiaierl loy seicl iiccly, e plurality of '11 links said loccly, end. nleic cennections of insuleiting materiel enema ing as esiruci 7s rlieleciiic resis'lences said lines in seiies me each efiliei and. is seicl 30 A ligiien destructible tubular incunlecl eec of ii of fusible i relity cf connec of insulating ii opemizing iiesluciible dielectric esistccnneciinv said links in seiie es ts seii terminals and en e2 ence Wlifiilili said body sclepie ig ed and expieclecl by the lightning cur rent passing through.

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